Hurricane Guide

June 1 marks the opening day of hurricane
season, MVEC wants to remind you to take
precautions. Here are tips you and your
family should practice to stay safe before,
during and after the storm.

Storm Warnings

Terms to know.

Tropical Storm
Watch

Tropical storm conditions are
possible and may affect your
area within the next 48 hours.

Tropical Storm
Warning

Tropical storm conditions are
expected in your area within
the next 36 hours.

Eye

This is the clear center of the
storm that arrives with calmer
conditions. But remember, an eye
passing over you signals that
the storm is only half over.

Rain Bands

Bands coming off the cyclone
that produce severe weather
conditions, such as heavy rain,
wind and tornadoes.

Hurricane
Watch

Hurricane conditions are
possible in the area. Watches
are issued up to 48 hours in
advance of the anticipated
storm-force winds.

Hurricane
Warning

Hurricane conditions are
expected in the area.
Warnings are issued up
to 36 hours in advance
of the storm.

Eye Wall

The area surrounding the
eye contains some of the
most severe weather of
the storm, with the highest
wind speed and heaviest
precipitation.

Storm Surge

A deadly rush of ocean of
Gulf water that occurs when
a storm makes landfall. This
often floods coastal areas
and sometimes areas further
inland.

Powering Up

After an outage.

1. High-Voltage Transmission Lines:

Transmission towers and cables that supply power to transmission substations (and thousands of members) rarely fail, but when damaged, these facilities must be repaired before other parts of the system can operate.

2. Distribution Substation:

A substation can serve hundreds or thousands of consumers. When a major outage occurs, line crews inspect substation to determine if problems stem from transmission lines feeding into the substation, the substation itself or if problems exist further down the line.

3. Main Distribution Lines:

If the problems cannot be isolated at a distribution substation, distribution lines are checked. These lines carry power to large groups of consumers in communities or housing developments.

4. Tap Lines:

If local outages persist, supply lines (also known as tap lines) are inspected. These lines deliver power to transformers, either mounted on poles or placed on pads for underground service, outside businesses, schools and homes.

5. Individual Homes:

If your home remains without power, the service lines between a transformer and your residence may need to be repaired. Always call to report an outage to help line crews isolate local issue.